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A federation representing Vokkaligas has announced its support for Congress in the Lok Sabha election. Addressing a news conference here on Wednesday, D Hanumanthaiah, President of Karnataka State Vokkaliga Communities Federation, said they decided to support Congress considering its contribution to the community.
“Congress has contributed highest to the Vokkaliga community. To construct Vokkaliga community college, Congress has given nine acres of land in Bengaluru and also assured of waiving crores of rupees interest pending towards loan taken for the medical college which is run by Karnataka State Vokkaliga Association,” he said.
Slamming JD(S) supremo H D Deve Gowda, Hanumanthaiah alleged that Gowda tried to divide the community by establishing one more mutt. “JD(S) had not allowed any Vokkaliga leaders to grow in politics. That is the party which threw out leaders like H N Nanje Gowda, Byre Gowda, Bache Gowda, Ambareesh and many others from the party,” said Hanumanthaiah. He said the community had to suffer all these years because it had supported JD(S).
Blaming BJP for zero contributions to the community, he said, “BJP had removed D V Sadananda Gowda from chief minister’s post, when Jagadish Shettar was chief minister, the government had allotted nine acre of land belonging to Vokkaliga Association at Srigandada Kaval to others.”
The Federation, having around 10,000 members in state, has openly declared its support to Congress. Hanumanthaiah is also the president of Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha.